Yours to keep
by JessM21
Summary: - Do you think she's stronger than me then? - No! I was scared because... she already knew... that I'd choose you.


Hey everyone! So, I managed to finish my first english oneshot for all of you. Hope you enjoy it and please leave your reviews. It encourages me to keep on writing :)

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of Inuyasha's characters.

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**Yours to keep**

It was almost midnight and I couldn't sleep. A couple of weeks ago I had the worst fight I've ever had with him, and I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. It seemed that this time we're done for good, not that we had anything more than a friendship to start with.

About a month ago, I was wandering around the village when Lady Kaede asked for my help with a man who seemed badly injured. Undoubtedly, I hurried myself to the place where he was taken care of with all my medical supplies. We worked pretty much all day long on controlling his fever and get him to eat, while he tried to explain he was attacked by a woman. Given the severity of his wounds, it seemed odd that a mere human was able to do such thing, so the rest of the group and I decided we should try and gather more information about it. We spent the next couple of weeks visiting the nearby towns, where we asked about a possible presence or demon that might have been doing any harm. Every story we heard implied the same description: a mysterious lady dressed as a priestess who initially offered her help and ended up hurting someone, mostly couples who seemed madly in love.

I felt it deep in my gut every time that it was Kikyo they were talking about. Last time I met her, after a battle that left Inuyasha almost unconscious, she told me that she was tired of being the martyr, the victim. I tried to explain that we all were indeed exhausted from fighting, but we had come a very long way to give up then.

- If we stop now, then Naraku would've won.

- And how are you so sure that in the end you will finish with him? To me, it seems he's invincible. He's already taken many innocent lives.

- That's what he wants us to believe… - I was sure we could handle him, and he would keep on killing if we quitted.

- Well… good luck then. I'm done being the good one.

I didn't try to stop her, I was extremely anxious for going back to see how Inuyasha was doing at Kaede's place, and of course I didn't tell him what happened. I was certain he was running off to her if he knew how she felt. Maybe I was a little selfish now that I think about it, but then again, he was badly injured and I was just trying to keep him safe. After that day, I asked to myself a couple of times what she meant by those last words, but I never reached a concrete answer.

A couple of nights afterwards, when I came back from the injured man's house, the golden-eyed was waiting for me right outside the old miko's hut. I greeted him with a smile and saw him roll his eyes at the instant, but I ignored him and passed by. I was waiting for any kind of noisy reaction, but instead, Inuyasha grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the woods without saying a word. My head started making up ideas and I was amazingly confused by his behavior.

- Are you telling me where you wanna go? It´s pretty late already.

- Shut up, - he said in a cold voice.

- Geez! Chill out, would ya?

As soon as we arrived at a clearing, I saw the glimmer from Kikyo's soul collectors, feeling my heart crushing inside. Had he made a decision about who he really loved and was going to let us know right then?

- Why didn't you let me know you met Kikyo? – he asked me.

- I… didn't want to worry you Inuyasha. You were recovering and I thought it would be better if you stayed calm. – What was I supposed to say? Obviously he thought I didn't want them to meet, which, in part, was kind of true.

- Don't blame it on her, my dear. – she replied. My dear?! Really?! I couldn't believe my ears.

- I would've come to you Kikyo, and none of this would've have happened.

- What do you mean? – I tried to sound as calm as possible, the truth was that my heart nearly left my chest on how fast it was beating.

- There's nothing to be done. Now I can only find peace on making people feel what I felt 50 years ago… when I lost you. Every time I do it, my love for you seems to vanish, and so does my pain.

Everything was made clear then. She was making people betray each other when they were in love, the same way it happened to them because of Naraku. That was the way that she felt relieved, free from her feelings towards him.

- But it doesn't help me! I can't… I just can't let you go that easily. - Now he was looking sad, nostalgic. – What can I do to make it better Kikyo? You can't go on doing this.

- I told you. There's nothing you or this filthy girl can do.

I expected him to stop her, to tell her not to speak of me like that. But he did none. He just stared at her while she disappeared in the darkness. He hadn't expressed that he chose her as a fact, but to me, it was clear he did.

- Well, I'm done too. I can't keep on fighting for you after this. – I slowly walked away, hiding the tears that were welling in my eyes.

A few minutes afterwards I was back to the village, where Sango was waiting for me. I guess it was pretty obvious how I felt, 'cause she immediately ran towards me and hugged me.

- I'm so sorry Kagome.

- It's ok. I guess it was to be expected. After all, he has always loved her.

The sunlight crashed right at my face, showing the traces my tears had left on my cheeks as I fell asleep. I got up and started packing my things to go back home, when I noticed he hadn't come back at all. Shippo came in asking for him, to which I replied that maybe he was busy somewhere. I built up the courage inside me to tell them that Kikyo was the one who had been attacking lately, but they seemed not surprised by anything I said. Instead, they told me they had suspected already, and that Kaede was already on the quest on talking her out of this.

- Good luck with her, and with Inuyasha as well. Apparently he's sticking with her anyways.

- What?! Is he that blind? – Shippo asked.

- No, he knows what she's doing. Still, he won't let her go. He just told her last night.

- Dammit Kagome… are you turning her in? – I was so immersed in my thoughts that I didn't notice he had arrived.

- What… what am I supposed to do? Let her walk around killing people?! Hell no Inuyasha, as much as I lo… as much as I care for you, I definitely won't let her walk out on this without putting up a fight. She's no right to do this. These people have nothing to do with what Naraku did to you both. It was your and her fault!

- What the hell are you talking about?!- Boy, now he was really mad at me. His eyes pierced right through my heart.

- If she really loved you, she wouldn't have fallen for Naraku's trick, would she? Tell me, now.

It was all silence. My friends couldn't believe I was standing up to him this way.

- And you… you loathed me when you met me because I looked like her, because you really believed she'd done you harm on purpose. Am I right?! Well, that's it. I'm not having any pity for her. And as for you… she can help you look for those freakin' shards. I'm staying out of this. I won't be risking my life for you anymore!

I stormed out of the hut with a knot on my throat. Everyone, except for him, followed me until we reached the well. I scanned around to see if he had come, but he was definitely not there. I told them that this time I wasn't coming back, and begged them to take care of themselves, while I gave them the piece of the Shikon Jewel I carried on my neck. I mumbled a last apology, said goodbye and jumped through the well.

As I got home, I finally gave up on the thought of being with him and cried my heart out for a few days. The first nights back at my time were pretty harsh. I woke up almost every midnight with the image of her killing people around and Inuyasha just staring at the scene. Could this be happening back there? Was he so insane about her that she could do whatever she wanted without him trying to stop her? Well, if that was happening, I didn't want to know, and I also couldn't do anything about it. The reason I left the Shikon Jewel back there was precisely that, to not be able to go back to the Feudal Era, even though I really wanted to.

Now I can say that my life went back to normal in no time. I was back to school and meeting my friends every day, sleeping in a real bed and enjoying my mom's delicious food, taking my regular bubbly baths and free from any danger involving demons or spirits. Or so I believed.

As soon as I was at my era, I noticed that my city seemed a little less crowded, and as the days passed by, the loneliness was even more obvious. I started to freak out when Hojo, the guy who has been inviting me out, went missing too, as if he never existed. People were losing memory of those they knew and all of a sudden disappeared, except for me. It seemed I was the only one who could remember they once wandered around our world.

Since my grandpa was well known for his spiritual skills and knowledge, I asked him if he knew anything about what was happening.

- It is said that many years ago, a powerful priestess who was in love with a man who didn't love her back, took revenge of being lonely by tearing couples apart. Because they could not be together, families didn't grow, they didn't have any descendants, and many villages were left completely empty.

- How… how can someone do something like that? – It crossed my mind that this might have something to do with Kikyo. But then I remembered he said that the man didn't love her back, and this is not the case. Inuyasha is madly in love with her…

- Well, she felt her love was unrequited… maybe those feelings led her to that.

I hid my eyes behind my bangs, crying again at the thought of Inuyasha. I knew exactly how unrequited love felt like. I've felt it in my heart every time I saw them together. But unlike that priestess, I could never do something like that to anyone. My friends Miroku and Sango crossed my mind. They have always been in love and hadn't told each other. Might they be facing the same fate of ending apart? I really wished not.

- Kagome… are you ok? Has something happened down the well? – Gramps never asked about my life, but this time he seemed really worried.

- Hmm… not really. I thought that maybe I knew who was responsible for what's happening here, but I'm pretty sure this is not the same case.

- Why do you say so?

- Because… he does love her back.

I stood silently and walked out of the shrine. Who could be doing this other than Kikyo? Back there I never heard about any other priestess as powerful as she was rather than Midoriko, who had been dead for way to long. Tired and confused, I went back to bed.

Today, I arrived to school and went straight to the library to search for something about what my grandpa told me, since things were getting worse. After hours of looking around every book, I finally came across the legend he spoke of. It was said that the priestess was defeated by someone who proved her that real love existed. I wasn't sure how the heck that happened, but surely I couldn't go back to find out. I gave up on my research and went back to class.

I started feeling really bad about leaving that way, because it made it seem like I just gave up and ran away. Could it be that I had to go back and help them figure this out? After thinking about it the whole day, I decided to try going through the well as soon as I got home. I was afraid that my friends could disappear as well, or my family. What if even I disappeared from this place?

Passing hurriedly through the streets and on my way home, my mind suddenly came across the fact that I didn't have the Shikon Jewel with me anymore. I stood right in front of the Sacred Tree, trying to find out a way to cross over.

A chill ran down my spine when I heard deep in my head Inuyasha's voice. It echoed my name as he talked to someone else. Might he be here? Of course not. He's way too proud and stubborn to come looking for me. Then I heard Kikyo's voice as well.

- You lied to me! You promised to come with me.

- With the Kikyo I knew 50 years ago, but not you. You've changed. The girl I fell for would've never been capable of doing such harm.

What was happening back there? I tried calling his name, hoping she couldn't hear me, or things would get harsh. And they did, as soon as my voice reached her ears.

- She's interfering yet again. Does she really mean that much to you? – she asked him. I covered my ears unsure of wanting to hear an answer. But he didn't say anything either. – Your silence is enough for me. Don't try to follow me or I'll kill you. I'm just glad you can't see her anymore, for you won't be happy ever again.

- Stop it! Don't you understand? – I managed to say, while my heart crushed with my own words. – I came back because he chose to stick with you, he stood for you when I wanted to… I tried to stop you. I love him to the extent where I chose to let him free, so he could finally be with you. And I left so I wouldn't interfere anymore.

- Kagome… - His voice was more of a whisper.

After years of struggling, I managed to spit out all of my feelings for him. He had the right to know, since everyone around us already knew.

- And yet you are in between us.

- Well, it's not my fault you can't work things out with him. But I'm not keeping him from you. I just… want him to be happy.

There was nothing but silence. Seconds became eternal, since I didn't hear anything else. Then, her cold voice mumbled.

- I see… this is why you love her, don't you Inuyasha? She does love you… unconditionally. Even if you were not to choose her. Guess I'll have to settle for that. At least I know real love does exist in her heart… unlike me. Don't you ever forget me my love.

I just heard as if something pierced right through flesh. Had she done something to him? I started screaming his name and begging her to leave him alone, wanting to know if he was ok.

- She's… gone now, Kagome. I'm … - his shaky voice gave him away. He was indeed injured.

- Inuyasha, please stay awake. I'm coming to you. Where's the jewel?

- I… have it here. I was coming to… take you back, but…

- Stop, just… stop. Can you get to the well for me? I need to know you'll be fine.

- Hmm.

Running as fast as I could, I slid the shrine's door open and waited until I could see the clear blue sky from the feudal era. With the glimmer of the well, I jumped in and hurried myself back up as I arrived to the Sengoku. I scanned with me eyes until I saw his little ears perched right next to the well.

- Are you alright? We have to take you to Kaede's… - His finger pressed on my lips as if to shut me up, while I was kneeling next to him.

- I'll be fine now that you're back – he said with a lazy smile before closing his eyes. I shivered.

Miroku and Sango arrived to the forest and helped me take him back to the village, where we mended the wound Kikyo caused right in his chest. After a couple of hours, he woke up. We were left alone in the hut.

- You were right. I'm sorry.

- You're… apologizing? That's not normal. Maybe you still got a fever… - I tried to sound casual, even though my nerves made my heartbeat almost audible to kilometers.

- You dumbass. Why'd you run away? – His gaze met my eyes, almost as intense as my heartbeat.

- Well, you were supporting her even though she was causing trouble around. I figured I couldn't do anything to stop you both.

- I wanted to take care of it myself. I was afraid she… she would do something to ya.

- Why's that, huh? Do you think she's stronger than me then? – Now I was getting mad.

- No, you stupid! I… I was scared because she already knew.

- Huh?

- She knew I'd choose you. I had already told her how I felt about her… and… about you.

I really was confused, and my face gave me away, because my cheeks were burning red. He slowly sat down, hanging onto the wall for support. I backed up a little, trying to give him some space, but instead, he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. I was resting right in his chest, hearing his heartbeat as well.

- I'm sorry I stopped you. It's just that I didn't want her to hurt you Kagome. I should've trusted you instead. You saved me once again.

- I'd always do it, and you know it Inuyasha. – I noticed his face was way too close to mine as I felt his uneven breathing.

- And I'd give my life for you if I had to.

My heart stopped as his lips met mine. His arms pulled me even closer, and I rested mine over his shoulders. It was a long, sweet kiss, until we had to break apart to catch our breaths. This wasn't a dream, I was sure of it 'cause I could still feel the warmth of his skin.

- I love you Kagome. – he stared sweetly at me as I blushed even more, seeming a little impatient.

- Why did it take you so long?

- I don't know… guess I was scared. Will you… stay with me? As in… forever?

- I'm yours to keep. – I smiled, not being able to hide how happy I was.

- Promise?

- Mhm.

And I kissed him once again.

_So… I was the powerful priestess who saved the world! Hurray for me!_

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